CLOSING IN ON IT

Figuring out the shutter design.  Heidi had drawn an X-framed shutter but Dan offered up a simpler diagonal... then the X.  We are sticking with the X.  Interior framing is moving forward, Tile has been bought from Home Depot and shipped to FL to be shipped to STT to be trucked to the marina to be brought over in Dan's boat (Patches or Sea Biscuit) to be hauled up the hill to Lovangalow.  Steady as we go.

Final shutter design.  Not yet painted.

First option- simpler diagonal.  Dismissed.

Progress with upstairs bedroom framing.

Floor tile for the downstairs.  Wondering how many pieces it will show up in by the time it reaches Lovango.

SEAS THE DAY SEES LOVANGO

Word from Dan is the siding is finished and the crew is working on shutters, doors and interior framing.  On this end we're picking paint colors and thinking about kitchen, bathrooms, and furniture for a container that will ship out of Miami.  Hoping to have a container land in St John for us to meet and unpack in April.  And by then have solar power working and water running so we can camp in the cottage as we set it up.

No new photos from Dan but got an email with the shots below from Eric who blogged about a beautiful place that he and his partner built on St. John a year ago called Seas the Day.  Eric has been a great and generous source of information on all things building on St John.   I've yet to meet him except through email but he sent through two pics he took while out boating recently.  To see Eric's blog and rental information on Seas the Day, go to http://www.seasthedayvi.com/

Just needs shutters and doors to get closed up.  There won't be any glass in the windows... shutters only.  Hopefullly whatever flies in will find a way to fly out.

Shot from the water.  The Love Shack on the beach, Captain Phil's house to the right, yellow with aqua roof and Dan's place behind ours.

http://www.seasthedayvi.com/

HOLIDAY SIDING

A few photos from Dan this week showing the roof complete and the first of the pickled siding going up.  Also got the insurance adjuster over there to appraise the place in terms that a carrier can understand.  A step needed before we could get a quote on a policy.

Looking up from the west side.  The plastic green containers are the aerobic septic system.  You can also see where water from the gutters drains into the cistern under the porch.

The south wall is all sided and trimmed out for the three large doors that will open out to the porch.

Just starting siding on the east side.  Temporary 2nd floor gutter drains run into the first floor gutters to make sure we're getting whatever rain falls until more permanent (and discrete) drains can be installed that will feed directly into the cistern.

North side perspective.  Roofing and gutters finished.  Siding to come.

Samples of 316 stainless steel hinges for all doors and shutters.  Went with the larger 2.5 " version.  Might have been cheaper just to buy windows.

SITE VISIT- the SEQUEL

Just beating the storm on arrival.  Good rains this fall have brought everything back to lush and green... a condition that was hard to envision in April and July when everything was torched and tinder dry.

It's tough for a sequel to measure up to the original but given the challenges of Lovango living a little experience under your belt makes things alot better.  We're still getting to know the crew and neighbors and also figuring out details like boat storage, best crossing routes/times, dinghy securing/locking/capacity/capabilities/draft/etc, marketing, cabs, timing, trash, and more.   Which is to say it was great to get back and continue to discover things and feel more at home.

Progress has been slow since our last visit in July with vacations and hurricanes and competing work for the crew but things are picking up again and the quality of what's been done is outstanding.  Over our 5 day visit the crew made great headway on installing the roof and gutters while we knocked out the "pickling" of all of the siding.  The work gave us a deep appreciation for the crew and the challenges they face in building our cottage on Lovango.  We calculate that every piece of siding we painted has now been touched and moved at least 6 (likely 7) times!

The installation of the roof and gutter has allowed us to start collecting rainwater.  Though it doesn't look like much the 6" of water in our 9' deep cistern represents over 1000 gallons.   With reasonable shelter and a water source in place we are close to having something that could conceivably be inhabitable (if not finished) in the not too distant future.

Oh, and big news- we finally have a building permit for plans that match what we're actually constructing.  This picked up from the permit office conveniently located upstairs in the airport.

View from the porch under which sits the 24,000 gallon cistern with (now) 1,000 gallons of rainwater.

Dinghy to St John, then hike to hardware store for paint... and back.

The first of 3 days of pickling the siding.  Cut the latex paint 1:1 with water, apply it, wait 5 minutes and wipe it to expose the grain.  Color is a light blue gray.

Gloating over the finished stack of painted siding.

The crew- Dustin (from NH) and crew foreman Martin (from MI).

Up on the roof- Rigo and Marino (who brought passion fruit seeds from home and planted them around the site).

Jeff's first USVI tool purchase (though not a measuring type by nature).

Eeyore and Olive Oyl take a break from tending the burn pile.  Olive is forever memorialized in the cottage by her paw prints in the downstairs bedroom concrete floor.

How we left it... downstairs roofed and guttered, upstairs next.

BUTTONED UP & AWAITING ROOFING

Dan and his crew have been installing solar systems on St. John while awaiting the aluminum roofing from Florida.  The cottage has taken on its final shape and is sealed from the elements.  The 5/12 ptiched, hipped roof is a standard in the Caribbean for it's strength in high winds.  Given the cost of insurance, many homes in USVI are not insured for hurricane damage.   

In addition to installing roof and gutters (which will begin the water catchment), next focus includes getting solar power and and a toilet installed so camping and building (power tools without using Dan's generator) will be possible.

View from the dock.  The building is closed up with plywood (even over window and door openings) and roof has water-proof membrane.  Officially a shelter.

Aluminum roofing has made it to the beach.   Gutters still at large on St. John.

DANNY PASSES, ERIKA LOOMS

Danny passed with little wind but some welcome rain.  It barely cleared the Virgin Islands before tropical storm Erika formed and started gaining steam.  Erika dumped 8" of rain in Dominica in just 5 hours (per text from Dan)... a deluge that would put exceptional strain on the excavating that we've done and drainage around the foundation.  Sadly, the roof and gutters won't arrive for 2 weeks so any hope of filling the cistern with Erika's bounty is fruitless.  The rain will still be a blessing for everyone and everything else in the drought-stricken area, however.  May green return to Lovango.

Tracking these storms is like watching a horse race.  No control from the grandstand and bet already made. Addictive.

ROOF COMING... ALONG WITH HURRICANE DANNY

Dan returns to Lovango this weekend from 4 weeks away, just ahead of hurricane Danny.  There was good progress on the roof in his absence.  Forecast is for Danny to arrive Monday evening with winds around to 50-60 mph.  Conventional wisdom holds that open buildings (like ours is now) are less prone to damage, particularly from lift which can be catastrophic.  Standing by and hoping Danny at least brings some much needed rain.

Current predictions of hurricane Danny show a likely direct hit of a weakening storm.

Detail of rafter tails.  And, in the background, a good look at how dry things are.  Not much foliage.

Detail of interior of roof.  The first layer of the roof is pressure treated 1 x 6 v groove which leaves a nice look on the inside.    3/4" pt plywood is laid over that, followed by a waterproof membrane and then aluminum roofing (musket slate color to try to blend in with surroundings).  Note also the hurricane ties and straps.  Virtually every connection point is reinforced.

The upstairs roof is almost complete.  Still open on ridge-line while we await special brackets to tie in the hip rafters.  The blue material is a waterproof membrane.  The aluminum roofing has been ordered from FL and will be applied over this.